1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is a system for conserving water for recycling by recirculating below temperature water standing in hot water pipes and informing the user when the flowing water is at temperature. In particular, the present invention concerns a valve having a position for recirculating water from the hot water line until such time as that water reaches the desired temperature. The subject system also includes temperature indicating means on the valve and a toilet tank modified to accept and utilize recycled water.
2. The Prior Art
A great many gallons of water are wasted daily by turning on hot water taps and showers and waiting until the cold water standing in the hot water pipes passes through the tap. Heretofore this water has simply been allowed to run down the drain thus not only wasting good water but overburdening waste water treatment plant with additional volumes of water.
One approach to solving this problem is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,996 to Ziehra, which uses a heat exchanger between the source of hot water and the hot water taps. The object of this invention is to supply hot water directly to the taps. This invention would not be energy efficient because of the energy consumption in heating water at multiple locations.
A unique approach is provided by Weber in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,987 by substituting cold water for hot water in taps that will always drip. Thus, while the hot water is not wasted, there remains the waste of cold water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,291 to Kaonohi addresses the problem by utilizing extra pumps and plumbing making the entire installation a very costly initially and in which the savings would hardly justify both the monetary expense and energy requirements for operating the multiple pumps.
Another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,739 to Bezdck which describes a thermostatic device controlling the flow of the cool water in a hot water line to the holding tank of a flush toilet until the water in the hot water line reaches a sensed temperature at which point the control switches flow of hot water back to the hot water faucet. This approach creates an energy drain as cold water enters the hot water heater to replunish the water sent to the holding tank or toilet.
Still another approach has been proposed by Linn in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,524,666 and 6,032,687. Both of these patents recognize the fact that typically water sitting in hot water lines is sent down the drain while heated water fills the hot water pipe. Both of the systems described by Linn utilize thermostatically controlled diverters to control the flow of water in hot water lines. Under temperature water is sent to flush toilet holding tanks while on temperature water is sent to the faucet, shower head, etc. There is also abn energy drain caused by the introduction of replenishing cold water into the hot water tank.
A further approach had been to simply place small water heaters in each hot water line in close proximity to each hot water tap. While this will assure hot water substantially instantaneously when the hot water tap is opened, it requires a large capital expense for the extra heaters as well as the expense of operating each of these heaters.
Therefor it is an object of the present invention to overcome the difficulties and deficiencies of the prior art to provide a water conservation system in which cool/cold water standing in hot water lines is recirculated to a storage vessel for later use in a cold water line.